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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Vintage Rhythms,
By
This review is from: Take One: 1974-1979 (Audio CD)
This beautiful collection of songs, with intricate ticking rhythms and layered lilting guitar melodies left me wishing I could understand Shona and understand the significance of the songs. From what I have read about HCR the songs in this collection are taken from a mixture of the cleaned up original vinyl and master tapes and are predominantly songs of protest against the then transitionary white government of the time. These songs have something infectious about them; the way the softly sung choruses are repeated over and over and are imbibed with a warmth you rarely find. The brass section is used sparingly and with a great soulful effect injecting a joyful feeling and energy into the mix.
Some of the tracks are faded out seemingly too early as the average track length sits at around 3 minutes, and I wondered if the original recordings had to be short for technical reasons as I wanted some of the tracks to carry on and explore the ground they open up. There is a variety in terms of feeling and style across the tracks on this release, and also a variety in terms of the quality of the recordings. I really loved the opening track `Mudzimu Ndiringe' which has a joyous feeling, and `Kare Nanhasi' for the same reason. Manheru Changamire has a kind of latin feel with it's brassy serenade. Murembo is their most significant song as it was their call to rebellion. Also, watch out for the excellent hidden track after some silence and some conversation on the tail of the last track `Chaminuka Mukuru'. After a little time, the feeling of the music washes over you; and I would encourage everyone to give this album enough time to let it get under your skin - to appreciate it fully. After all, it is an unearthed gem, and such it deserves a bit of quality time with your ears.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic,
By Thaddeus J. Quintin "Nerd" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Take One (Audio CD)
A friend of mine bought this for me, because it made her think of me, and I must say she was right!
This is a pioneering band in what has become the "sound" of recent Zimbabwe music. Hired to entertain workers at the Mhangura Copper mine, their music took on a life of its own. They began by playing soul music as well as rumba and cha cha songs, but found that they weren't engaging the mine workers. They started playing more traditional songs, mimicking the sounds of the mbira or kalimba on the guitar. This is the sound that echoes in throughout much of Paul Simon's "Graceland," but it wasn't until I heard this album that I was truly inspired the the intricate guitar work of this style of music. Highly recommended. Also check out Spirits to Bite Our Ears by Thomas Mapfumo, the singer on this album. It's just as enjoyable. |
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